VZCZCXRO1127
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0880/01 2391208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271208Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9243
INFO RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 3391
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0001
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0517
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0387
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2690
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000880 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CVIS CACS CMGT PREL SCUL TX
 
SUBJECT: ASHGABAT CONSULAR OUTREACH - SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, 
AND SOMETHING BORROWED 
 
ASHGABAT 00000880  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Over the last year, AmEmbassy Ashgabat looked for both 
traditional and creative opportunities to expand its consular 
outreach program.  Working with other Embassy offices, notably 
Public Diplomacy and Peace Corps colleagues, the consular section 
has developed continuing programs to provide transparent, 
consistent, and accurate information about visa and consular 
services.  Combining "old" techniques like fliers and town hall 
meetings, "new" techniques like introducing a direct visa 
information telephone line and conducting seminars for Peace Corps 
volunteers, and by "borrowing" other Posts' innovative best 
practices, Ashgabat continues to look for new opportunities to 
improve consular outreach. END SUMMARY. 
 
BACKGROUND: OUTREACH IN TURKMENISTAN 
 
¶2.  In an environment of tight governmental information control (a 
moratorium on new Internet accounts was lifted only several months 
ago), consular outreach is a challenge.  Many best practices that 
serve other Posts are not practical here.  For example, given the 
limited Internet access, most Turkmenistanis have trouble accessing 
the Embassy website and many do not feel comfortable navigating the 
web for information.  It has also been difficult to publicize visa 
changes and other consular news in the newspapers.  Post cannot buy 
ad space.  Embassy press releases must be sent far in advance via 
diplomatic note.  A large number of applicants still find out about 
changes to the visa procedures by reading announcements posted on 
the public information board on the street outside the Embassy. 
Even as Post hopes to capitalize on future expanded internet usage 
and what we hope will be a more liberal press climate, Post 
anticipates continuing to rely on tried-and-true "old school" 
methods of communicating consular news through handouts and 
posters. 
 
TOWN HALL MEETING: AMCITS - FEW, BUT ENGAGED 
 
¶3.  On August 8, Post held its first town hall meeting in years for 
the expatriate American community.  All American citizens present in 
Turkmenistan were invited by Warden Message, along with adult 
foreign national dependents of registered Americans.  The consular 
section followed up the invitation by calling every registered 
private American citizen to personally extend the invitation and 
ensure that the Warden Message had been received. 
 
¶4.  Although there are few private American citizens living in 
Turkmenistan - and fewer during the summer, when American teachers 
from the Ashgabat International School are usually in the United 
States - the turnout was better than expected.  Eight of the ten 
private American citizens present in Ashgabat attended, along with 
one foreign spouse and an equal number of Mission officers and 
family members. 
 
¶5.  During the meeting, the Charge welcomed the guests and gave a 
brief overview of U.S.-Turkmenistan relations.  Post's newly arrived 
Deputy Chief of Mission was introduced, as was the new RSO, who gave 
a briefing on personal security tips.  The Consular Chief discussed 
American citizen services issues, highlighting the benefits of 
practical training Post's ACS FSN received from a week spent 
shadowing colleagues at AmConsulate Frankfurt's Special Citizen 
Services and Passport sections.  Overseas voting materials were 
distributed, including printouts of state-specific information. 
Finally, the consular chief discussed visa issues in general and 
offered suggestions of appropriate ways for American citizens to 
direct friends and contacts to visa information.  The invitees were 
very engaged during the question and answer session, which lasted 
twice as long as the planned presentations.  Based on feedback 
received from attendees, Post developed a strategy to better 
disseminate event information to resident American citizens. 
 
VISA INFORMATION PROGRAM: IMPROVING ACCESS AND EFFICIENCY 
 
¶6.  In a country where it is hard to disseminate information through 
the media, people rely heavily on learning through word of mouth. 
The obvious downside, for consular information sharing, is that 
"word of mouth" is a notoriously inefficient way of spreading 
technical information and that information is often incorrect.  In 
October 2006, coinciding with the rollout of EVAF, Post introduced a 
visa appointment system, as well as a visa information program to 
provide direct, transparent, manageable access to the consular 
section.  Rededicating a seldom-used fax line, the consular section 
started a direct-dial Visa Information Line that is staffed 9 hours 
a week, responding to visa inquiries and appointment requests.  Not 
 
ASHGABAT 00000880  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
only has the Visa Information Line been well received by applicants, 
but consular staff have found that having set hours to address 
public inquiries allows them to have predictable blocks of 
uninterrupted time to better meet other work goals. 
 
¶7.  Borrowing best practices shared by our colleagues from Embassy 
Dakar and Embassy Tbilisi, the Consular Section designed three sets 
of business cards for Embassy officers and staff to distribute to 
contacts.  One card advertises the Visa Information Line, in 
English, Russian and Turkmen, providing the hours of operation and 
the consular section public email address.  A supplementary card 
lists, in Turkmen and Russian, five steps to prepare for and obtain 
a visa appointment.  A third card, in English, provides routine and 
emergency contact information for American Citizen Services.  These 
cards allow Embassy officers, Peace Corps volunteers, and even 
private American citizens to direct visa and consular inquiries to 
the consular section without becoming inappropriately entangled in 
particular cases.  The Visa Information line cards have been so 
popular that they are already in their sixth printing. 
 
WORKSHOP FOR PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS 
 
¶8.  At any given time, the Peace Corps has more than 50 volunteers 
serving as health care educators and language teachers throughout 
Turkmenistan.  Peace Corps volunteers (PCVs) often receive inquiries 
about visa issues.  Recently, the consular section held a session 
for PCVs to provide techniques for responding to visa inquiries. 
After a general discussion of visa regulations, including section 
214b of the Immigration and Nationality Act, PCVs performed role 
plays of common scenarios in which they might be approached for 
information or pressured for assistance.  Several participants said 
that one scenario, where a school director attempted to pressure a 
PCV teacher to obtain a student visa for her adult son, matched 
their own experiences.  Feedback from PCVs on the usefulness of this 
session has been very positive, and Post plans to repeat this 
program with incoming classes. 
 
STUDENT VISA OUTREACH 
 
¶9. This summer, the consular staff attended an educational fair 
sponsored by American Councils for International Exchanges (ACCELS) 
and IREX in Ashgabat, providing stacks of Visa Information Line and 
"5 Steps to Applying for a U.S. Visa" cards along with student visa 
specific handouts.  Several weeks later, the consular chief gave a 
talk on student visas at the American Corner in Turkmenabat, the 
capital of Lebap province, attended by a standing-room crowd. 
Although consular staff was unable to attend ACCELS/IREX educational 
fairs in other provincial capitals, the consular section prepared 
packages of cards and handouts for fairs and American Corners 
throughout the country. 
 
 
HOAGLAND